Chapter 1623: All Settled

Hearing that none of the three children, his wife, or his mother would be coming this year, Ye Yaodong instantly felt relieved and at ease, saving himself a lot of trouble.

The New Year period happens to be the busiest time; before last year, he only had to manage the fishing boats and fish cargo, selling the goods and delivering them was enough.

The factory opened at the end of last year wasn't busy either; it was mostly about getting things ready in the early stages, taking on small trial orders, so the factory was very idle during the New Year period with few orders, and production could easily keep up.

This year is different; the factory has taken off, expanding again and again, with machines being added one by one and transported over.

One has to admit that business is truly easy to do these days; as long as you have the courage to act, you will generally succeed.

Once the goods are made, there's no fear of no one wanting them; they are the kind that people fight to grab.

The beginning and end of this year saw the factory's popularity differ by heaven and earth.

With two months left until the New Year, the factory is even more booming; everyone is so busy their feet barely touch the ground, working three shifts isn't enough, and many orders have been pushed to after the New Year.

He is much busier than last year; although the work of coordinating fishing boat deliveries has mostly been arranged out, so he doesn't have to do it personally, he still has to oversee production, orders, and the processing factory.

Most importantly, it's the end of the year, and he has to chase payments everywhere.

Except for the mornings when it's hard to go door-to-door for payments, he spends the rest of his time roaming around the various factories chasing payments.

It's time to clear accounts at the end of the year, mixed with some drinking parties; he treats others, others treat him, and he's simply so busy he feels dizzy.

If his family came up, he wouldn't have time to take them around at all; he could only, as usual, send two bodyguards to follow them.

It's best they haven't come now; anyway, the factory is closing early for the holidays. He expects to ship all the goods around the 15th of the lunar month, finish the wrap-up work in two days, and then the workers will gradually go on holiday.

The fishing boats can be delayed by two days; since they are returning with him, he expects everything to be settled by the 20th of the lunar month, leaving that same day. If they came, they wouldn't stay long anyway and would have to make the trip back.

Knowing they weren't coming, Ye Yaodong put the matter out of his mind and threw himself into the big task of chasing payments, taking a group of veteran soldier bodyguards to roam the various factories every day.

One has to admit, these veteran soldiers are truly useful; trained in the army, their posture is obviously different.

Standing straight beside him when taken out, they are obviously different from ordinary people; everyone thinks he has a military background, making debt collection slightly easier.

By the end of the month, when everyone was eagerly awaiting their wages, Ye Yaodong went to the main base dormitory area and had Old You announce to everyone that the rented small boats could be sold at a discount to the boat captains.

The workers of those small boats had just returned from the dock when they heard the news and immediately spread the word to their respective captains.

Ye Yaodong wasn't in a hurry; he dragged a stool over and sat at the cafeteria entrance, waiting for them to come to him voluntarily.

He had calculated the time before coming; the small boats go out early and return late, setting sail at dawn and returning at dusk, and by the time they sold their goods and got back to the dormitory building, it was pitch black.

At this time, everyone was either bathing or eating, so he sat at the cafeteria entrance, the place with the most people, waiting.

Today he also made time to come early; otherwise, with only a month left until the holiday, he would be busy to death.

The first one to run over was Ye Ye Yaosheng; seeing his hair still wet, Ye Yaodong knew he had just taken a shower and rushed over.

He had earned quite well these past few years; besides the one Ye Yaodong said someone rented, he had also ordered another boat himself, and Ye Ye Yaosheng was among them.

However, before Ye Ye Yaosheng went to reserve the boat, he had specifically communicated with him, saying he wanted to help his wife's brothers from her natal family, so he thought about ordering an extra boat to recruit people to work, giving them a stable income.

Actually, it's just that he earns well enough to help other relatives in the family.

Everyone is the same; while making money, if they can pull up their close relatives and friends, they will take them along.

And after Ye Ye Yaosheng's wife gave birth to two daughters, she finally gave him a son this year.

This forty-year-old middle-aged man instantly seemed ten years younger, now looking full of energy from head to toe.

Little did he know that when he is sixty, his son will only be twenty, and he will still have to work hard until his son gets married...

The moment Ye Yaodong saw him, he thought of this point.

Ye Ye Yaosheng ran over happily, "Third Uncle, Dongzi, I heard you're going to transfer all the small boats?"

"Yes, I came specifically to talk about this today. Thinking that tomorrow is New Year's Day and it's 1991, a new year and a new beginning, I thought we could settle the accounts today, and I'll directly hand over the boats."

"This is also fulfilling the promise made before; you decide. You boat captains definitely get priority. If you don't want them, we'll see about others later."

Ye Ye Yaosheng nodded repeatedly in haste, "Yes, yes, yes, definitely want them. Not to mention anything else, just that boat has been sailed for several years, and there's an attachment."

"Alright, then let's wait for the others; we'll talk once everyone has arrived."

By now, a large crowd had gathered around him, all just returned from the sea.

The workers on the big boats are still at sea; those surrounding him are all from the small boats that make round trips in a day, including their village, other nearby villages, and those with some connection, but all from that area, all speaking the same language, and at this moment they are all discussing his plan to sell those small boats.

"Adong, how are you selling those boats? How exactly is the discount calculated?"

"Can we buy them?"

"Now, a new boat costs eight or nine thousand, prices have risen terribly, you are still so smart."

"Yes, you were smart before too, ordering a bunch early on; just the price difference in the middle made you rich."

"What's so special about these small boats? He still has a bunch of big boats; the price difference in the middle is even more impressive. The difference on just one boat is far more than all these small boats combined."

"Yes, yes, yes..."

"Don't know how he's going to sell these small boats..."

"Dongzi, we just heard the news; how do you plan to sell them?"

Everyone started discussing, one after another.

Just as they had all returned to rest, and sitting idle was idle, some even held their meals around him, waiting to eat while listening.

Ye Yaodong waited ten minutes; after a crowd had gathered in layers inside and out, seeing that most had probably arrived, he spoke.

"Here's the situation; I've told everyone before that I won't keep these small boats forever; eventually, I'll definitely sell them to everyone at a discount. I thought we'd do it today."

"Tomorrow is New Year's Day; we'll settle the accounts tonight, hand over the boats, put down a Shou Yin, and from then on, those 17 boats will be yours."

Someone couldn't wait to ask, "So how are you selling them? How much do you plan to sell them to us for?"

The surroundings were chaotic and noisy; he couldn't speak. He stood up, reached out, and pressed his hand down in the air, signaling everyone to be quiet.

"Everyone knows that the current market price for these boats is eight or nine thousand each; even second-hand old boats cost around seven thousand. These are production tools; they can't be cheap."

"And the boats I rented out to everyone were all new boats originally; effectively, what you got to use was a new boat..."

Ye Yaodong rambled on a lot, repeating everything he had discussed with his father, letting them realize the current value of fishing boats.

With him saying this, many people thought in their hearts, "Oh no, it definitely won't be cheap."

Everyone looked at each other, whispering quietly, and no one dared to speak.

Ye Ye Yaosheng glanced at the expressions of everyone around him, then smiled and said, "Dongzi, you're right. We've been using new boats from the very start, for several years now, and we've grown attached to them. Tell us, how much do you plan to sell them for?"

"We'll check if they're suitable. If they are, we'll definitely buy them. Buying your boats is much faster than going out to buy new ones; buying new ones requires reservations and waiting, which is a real hassle."

"As for the semi-new, semi-old boats out there, who knows their condition? Besides, they're hard to buy even if you want to, and new boats are too expensive."

Someone else chimed in, "Yes, the boats we're running now have always been in our own hands. We know their condition better than anyone. If we can, it's definitely better to buy them."

"Adong, just tell us the price. If it's suitable, we'll buy. These past few years, we thank you for your help, for leading us all to prosperity. Otherwise, we wouldn't have the good life we enjoy now."

"Right, whatever price you say, that's the price! These past few years, it's because of you that we have today."

"Exactly. If you hadn't led us out, we'd all still be digging in the fields in the village or carrying cargo at the docks, earning a pitiful one or two yuan a day. Nothing like now."

"Whatever price you say, we definitely won't object."

With so many people, there were many voices. Everyone spoke up, one after another, stirring up the emotions, and they all thought back to how they owed their present to him these past years.

Originally, some had been hesitant at first, fearing he wouldn't be willing to discount, but now only gratitude remained in their hearts.

Ye's father heard this and was exceptionally happy; it was not in vain that Dongzi had extended this final favor of the flowing water.

Originally, the two of them had discussed coming over to gauge everyone's reaction. If anyone was dissatisfied, he would raise the price.

If no one showed gratitude and they were all ingrates, then there was no need to offer such a discount anyway; they were going to be criticized regardless.

Now, seeing everyone's reaction, he was very satisfied. Although they had their own little schemes and greed, that was only human nature; everyone has these emotions.

The key was that on the main direction, they wouldn't be ungrateful. It was enough that they remembered his kindness; he didn't need these people to give anything in return.

These boats had already earned him enough. Now it was just earning a bit less. He didn't lack this money. Selling them well at the end would win him a good reputation and let others know that following him meant no losses.

Seeing that everyone had spoken enough and their emotions were stirred up, Ye Yaodong smiled.

"We are all from the same village. Many uncles and elders watched me grow up from childhood. We are all family, and I won't make money off you."

"You all followed me out because you trusted me. Naturally, I hope you all get better and better."

"I won't treat you as outsiders. I'll speak plainly. I bought this boat for 2,600 back then. Now it's worth about 9,000 yuan, more than triple. I guess my judgment was sharp, buying it so early."

Upon hearing this, the crowd immediately erupted in an uproar. Knowing it in their hearts was one thing; hearing it stated clearly and explicitly was another.

Ye Yaodong continued speaking loudly, cutting through everyone's whispered murmurs.

"Even if I give you a 50% discount today, you're still making a profit. After all, it's a new boat in your hands. Out there, buying a decent second-hand boat would cost over 7,000, and they're hard to find."

"However, today I won't ask for 4,500 from you. I bought it for 2,600, and today I'll sell it to you for 2,600..."

As soon as he said this, everyone immediately exclaimed in shock, overjoyed.

"Ah!"

"2,600?"

"Wow, 2,600?"

They already felt they were making a profit with a 50% discount, which met their psychological expectations. They didn't expect him to sell at the original price. That was truly a huge bargain; working for two months would earn it back.

"Wait, Dongzi, did I hear wrong? 2,600? Did you say it wrong?" Ye Ye Yaosheng grabbed his clothes, unable to believe it, doubting his own hearing.

"You didn't hear wrong. I bought it for 2,600, and I'm selling it to you for 2,600. I won't make money off you. Speaking of which, we are all cousins or nephews. Our bones are broken but the tendons still connect; we are not outsiders. Fat water doesn't flow into other people's fields."

After hearing the definite answer, each of them was overjoyed.

"Really 2,600? Holy crap? Are there any more? I want to buy two more..."

"Can we buy even if we aren't boat captains? My god, is this even selling boats? This is practically giving them away."

"Haha, Dongzi, you really are giving them away for free..."

His psychological expectation was around 5,000 to 6,000. He would have been very happy if it was just a bit cheaper than the market price.

He didn't expect it to exceed expectations; Dongzi was actually so generous.

Ye Yaodong also smiled. Just now, he had to thank Ye Ye Yaosheng for starting it off and setting a good rhythm. Sometimes, just a rhythm can change the direction of an event.

With the emotions stirred up just now, there was only a sea of applause. Everyone was extremely excited, feeling like they had picked up a huge bargain at cabbage prices.

"I'm basically selling half and giving half. Thinking of our family ties and village ties, after these boats are handed over to you, I hope you all get better and better, sail smoothly, and make a safe fortune."

After being a boss for a few years, Ye Yaodong had become much better at speaking in formal, ceremonial ways.

"Good~"

Everyone cheered in unison.

Ye Ye Yaosheng spoke loudly, "Dongzi, the price you gave us today is equivalent to a gift. We will remember this favor. In the future, if you have any matters, just shout out. Those who can contribute will contribute; those who should help will help. We don't have much else, but we have many people, and we fear no one when we go out."

The others quickly chimed in to agree.

"Right, we've noted this favor. In the future, if you have any matters, just speak up."

"Not just this favor; we have today because we relied on Dongzi. We already owed him a huge favor."

"Anyway, if anything comes up, just shout out in the future..."

Everyone was very happy; good words naturally came easily to their lips.

The workers on the outskirts who couldn't buy boats were dying of envy. Why weren't they Ye Yaodong's relatives?

Ye Ye Yaosheng was now considered trained. Money is a man's confidence.

For the first 30 years, he hadn't grown much. But once his pockets bulged, everything was different. Perhaps it was also because he had a son and had gained confidence; he felt his back was straighter, and now his speech was different from before.

At this moment, he smiled and said, "Actually, the whole village should thank Dongzi. Our wives are all earning a wage from him."

"He also suggested the villagers plant kelp, donated boats, solved the sales channels for everyone, and led the whole village to prosperity."

"No other village can compare to our village's current per capita income."

Everyone nodded in agreement, following along to praise him, recounting his contributions to the village.

If Ye Yaodong hadn't known he hadn't coordinated with Ye Ye Yaosheng, he would have almost thought Ye Ye Yaosheng was a plant he had brought in.

He spoke so well. Some things he couldn't say conveniently, Brother Brother Asheng said for him.

Listening to it, he even felt a bit embarrassed.

"Cough, everything I've done is out in the open for everyone to see. Just keep it in mind; after all, we're from the same village, part of the same collective, and naturally, we all hope our village gets better and better."

"Let's settle this matter right here. Old You has already prepared the transfer documents in advance. If everyone has no objections, just sign and hand over the money. We'll also settle this month's accounts then, and everything will be cleared from now on."

"Starting tomorrow, that boat will belong to everyone. Wishing you all safety and prosperity."

Everyone quickly chimed in, "Good, good, good... safety and prosperity, all good, all good..."

"Then let's hurry and sign the papers now, and settle this month's accounts quickly too."

Ye Yaodong said, "Let's settle the accounts first. Once the books are balanced, we'll sign the boat transfer contract. Go to that empty room over there; the rest of you, get on with your business."

Someone shouted, "Do you have any boats you don't want..."

"Hahaha, do you think anyone is stupid? Is there really anyone who doesn't want one?"

"Sigh, I was just thinking of grabbing a bargain. What a pity..."

"You're dreaming. With so many people here, everyone is fighting to get one; who would push meat away?"

Ye Yaodong pointed to a room, went there first himself, and told the boat captains to go back and get their money and bills.

Everyone moved quickly, fearing that if they were a step late, the boat would be snatched by someone else.

Ye Yaodong kept the other onlookers outside the room and closed the door.

He had already asked Old You to prepare seventeen transfer contracts. Now, after balancing the accounts, he just needed to fill in the amounts and the names of the buyer and seller on the transfer contracts.

Before last year, the rental income from fishing boats fluctuated, but not by much, since they were all operating in the fishing grounds.

Starting this year, it gradually decreased. It wasn't obvious at first, but the cumulative total did drop.

Moreover, he had seen the financial reports. Ye Ye Yaosheng's accounts didn't fluctuate much compared to others; everyone else showed a downward trend, while his varied up and down, which is the normal pattern.

Actually, this is only human nature. For a hen that lays golden eggs, Hui always had to give half the golden eggs laid away. In the short term, it was fine, but over time, people inevitably started having little schemes.

With the profit right in front of them, tempted every day, a little maneuvering was something he could accept.

When water is too clear, there are no fish. Often, no matter what the matter, one must turn a blind eye.

Just right, he also felt it was about time to release the boats.

This way, everyone is happy, and winning over hearts one last time is acceptable.

However, when calculating this month's total accounts at the end, it surprised him a bit; the money in hand was actually about twenty percent more than last month.

After Old You finished calculating the rent for all the fishing boats, he handed the transfer contracts to Ye's father to give to the others for signing.

He added up the accounts, showed them to Ye's father, and the two exchanged a silent glance, both understanding the situation.

One by one, probably remembering the favor shown today, they paid all the rent due without missing a single cent. Whether they would add a little extra on top, he didn't know.

Anyway, having an extra twenty percent is good.

After signing the transfer contracts and paying all the due money, everyone happily left one by one.

Ye Ye Yaosheng stayed until the end and said with a smile, "Today I actually took advantage of you, buying the boat at such a low price."

"Actually, I've made enough profit. Now I'll focus on the big ships."

"Right, right. You're making big money. With so many big ships now and so many people to manage, you're too busy."

"Thank you for speaking up for me tonight. Without you taking the lead, I don't know if the result would have been this good."

"How could the result be bad? You offered such a low price; who wouldn't be satisfied? That would really deserve a beating. I just said a few words off the cuff, but it was the truth. Everyone benefited from your grace and relied on your favor to reach today."

"Still, I must thank you for speaking up."

"I should be thanking you. Today was a gain for me too. With the New Year approaching, the money saved can be used to buy some big items for the family."

"That's only right. Isn't making so much money all about living a good life?"

Ye Ye Yaosheng smiled and agreed, "Yes. I guess everyone is gathered together chatting excitedly right now. It's late; you should head back early. I'll call home tomorrow to tell them. Oh, right, the New Year is coming soon. When do you plan to take a break and go back? Let me know in advance."

"I've already decided. I'll finish things around the fifteenth to the twentieth, and go home by the twentieth at the latest. If there are any changes, I'll let you know in advance."

"Alright, I'll tell everyone later. Anyway, it's about the same time as previous years."

"Mm."

"Then I'll head off first. It's very late. You should go back and rest early, be careful on the way, and call us anytime if you need anything in the future."

"Okay."

After Ye Ye Yaosheng left, Ye's father said, "Brother Brother Asheng is getting better and better at speaking and handling affairs. Did you coordinate with him in advance to get him to speak up?"

"Nonsense," Ye Yaodong said impatiently, "Would I stoop to doing that? The boats aren't unsellable. If anyone dares to say anything bad, I'll throw them out of here myself."

"People grow. Brother Brother Asheng's environment has changed, his position has changed, and his family is happy. How could he stay in the same place? He must be improving."

Ye's father said with a smile, "You're right."

"Alright, the work is done. Let's wrap up and go back to sleep. I didn't expect such a small matter to keep us busy until almost 11 o'clock."

"You call this a small matter? Tens of thousands of yuan, more than ten boats. This is a huge deal among huge deals."

Old You said, "For the boss, tens of thousands of yuan is a small matter. The time wasted tonight could have earned tens of thousands."

"Stop sucking up. Let's go back and sleep."

PS: I've also updated the word count today.